


Maneuvers

by inlovewithnight



Category: Hornblower (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-08-01
Updated: 2006-08-01
Packaged: 2017-10-17 21:35:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/181387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inlovewithnight/pseuds/inlovewithnight





	Maneuvers

Archie knows this better than most, or perhaps better than anyone else in the world, but he treasures every opportunity to learn it anew: Under the uniform, when the wool and linen are stripped away, Horatio Hornblower is only a man.

Flesh ( _well-loved familiar flesh_ ) and bone ( _the curving thrust of hip, rippling pattern of ribs, perfect swelling lines of spine, and good God, how could the man be so thin and yet so strong?_ ) and skin ( _pale in places and tanned dark in others and smooth under fingers lips tongue, nearly free of scars save the one marking his shoulder, the badge earned in blood and sorrow and suffering_ ).

Horatio is washing, with the basin and a cloth, frowning slightly at some idle thought. The cloth crosses his skin and beads of water trail after, running down his body until they drip to the floor. Horatio's frown shifts down to the wetness marring the floorboards, and Archie smiles a little at the extra disapproval that colors the expression.

"Leave it," he says softly, and Horatio glances over at him, lips parting with a question that Archie cuts off with a shake of his head. "It's just water. It can't hurt anything."

"I imagine many a shipwreck would be interested to hear that," Horatio says, and Archie bites his tongue behind his smile. He loves Horatio like life and breath, but that doesn't entirely relieve the desire to smack his arse sometimes.

"Come over here," he says. Horatio runs the cloth over his face, blinks away the moisture, then returns the cloth to the basin before he complies. Archie leans back on his elbows and watches Horatio cross the room, lean muscles flexing under the skin, the droplets caught in his hair catching the light and turning golden as he crosses through a sunbeam.

"You wanted something?" Horatio asks after a moment of standing by the bed while Archie looks at him, only looks, smiling. Horatio's lips are turned up in a faint smile as well, happiness with a shade of puzzlement, because logically Archie would not have asked him to come closer for no reason.

"Hmm," Archie replies, which isn't a reply at all. He's tracing Horatio's body with his eyes again, every inch of well known and well-loved skin, the flat muscled places, the sharp juts of bone, the curve under his ribs where he's so very ticklish.

It's been a while since that place has had his attention, he thinks, and reaches out to graze it with his fingertips.

Horatio jumps, as he always does, eyes going wide as a colt's, and Archie laughs, letting his fingers swirl against the skin again before Horatio moves out of reach. "Archie!" he says sharply, on a huff of breath. "Tricky rascal."

Archie laughs again and lets himself fall down flat on his back, turning his head to keep Horatio in view. "I do love to make you squirm, Mr. Hornblower."

Horatio remains carefully out of reach, watching Archie with the slightest edge of suspicion, but the smile is returning. "You usually show a great deal more subtlety, Mr. Kennedy."

"Well, sometimes subtlety is overrated." He looks up at the ceiling, letting his tongue dart out to wet his lips, knowing that Horatio is watching ever so carefully, not missing a thing. "Fancy maneuvers are all well and good in their place, but sometimes what you need is a good solid thrust ahead."

Horatio laughs softly, a low, throaty sound that sends a shiver over Archie's skin, even as he keeps his eyes carefully averted from his lover. "Is that what's needed?"

"Sometimes."

"Hmm." The bed shifts and creaks as Horatio sits down at Archie's feet. "Sound tactics, I suppose."

"Thank you. From the great Lieutenant Hornblower, that is a vast compliment indeed." He grins at the ceiling and waits for Horatio's parry, knowing it will come. The aforementioned great Lieutenant Hornblower is never caught at a disadvantage for long. Except, perhaps, by the French fleet, who have no place in this room.

"Sound tactics _in their place_ ," Horatio says, and Archie nearly leaps off the bed as fingertips run up the soles of his feet, blunt-cut nails scratching lightly against the skin.

"Horatio!" he laughs, thrashing against the sudden iron grip around his ankle, holding his foot in place for further tormenting. "Stop that!"

"I only love to make you squirm, Mr. Kennedy," is the tart reply, warm and tinged with affection. These are the words they use-- _deepest affection_ and _highest regard_ and they're perfectly right because they both know perfectly what they mean.

"I seem to recall that you have a vast array of tactics for making me squirm, far exceeding the effort you're showing now." A challenge, a gambit, and a glance down the bed at his lover shows that yes, it's lit a fire in his eyes.

"Are you accusing me of shirking, Mr. Kennedy?" Horatio crawls up the bed slowly, bracing himself over Archie and raising one eyebrow. His hands circle Archie's wrists, holding them to the bed, or else Archie would reach up and trace that delicate arch.

"Defend your honor, Mr.--" The name is cut off by Horatio's mouth settling over his, kissing him hard and hot and deeply.

No further thought of attack or defense, no more need for tactics; in this engagement, both will emerge the victor and the gratefully conquered at once.  



End file.
